Men's hockey: Gophers dominate Huskies for regional title

Gophers (27-6-6) advance to their 21st Frozen Four with the win. Minnesota plays North Dakota (25-13-3) at 7:30 p.m. April 10 in the national semifinals in Philadelphia (ESPN2).

Minnesota players celebrate their first goal during the first period Sunday, March 30 of the NCAA West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.(Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

ST. PAUL – There were red eyes on the captains in the postgame press conference and St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko had to have a talk with a team he did not want to have.

The University of Minnesota men's hockey team ended the Huskies' season with a dominating 4-0 win for the NCAA West Regional championship before 8,893 at Xcel Energy Center.

"It was not fun conversation in our locker room, when a coach has to go in and address a group of guys he truly believes in and believes we still should be playing," Motzko said. "You still want to be with them and it comes to an end. It's very difficult."

The Gophers (27-6-6) advance to their 21st Frozen Four with the win. Minnesota plays North Dakota (25-13-3) at 7:30 p.m. April 10 in the national semifinals in Philadelphia (ESPN2).

"Going to the Frozen Four never gets old and it's a thrill," said Gophers coach Don Lucia, whose team is looking for its sixth national title. "To go through the heartache last year, losing (to Yale in the first round) in overtime and to come back and get to go to Philadelphia is a real credit to our guys."

Boston College (28-7-4) plays Union (30-6-4) in the other semifinal at 7:30 p.m. April 10 (ESPN2). The championship game will be at 6:30 p.m. April 12 (ESPN).

St. Cloud State, the regular season champion of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, finishes its season 22-11-5. The Huskies, who reached their first Frozen Four last year, played in their third regional championship game in five years.

Game action

Minnesota took a 1-0 lead on a wraparound goal by freshman center Justin Kloos at 11:09 of the first period and did not look back.

"There was a scrum in front and I was just able to pick up the loose puck and throw it at the net," said Kloos, a Lakeville South High School graduate who was named the regional MVP.

"We got some good momentum right away with our first shift," said Kloos, whose team had 12 more shot attempts than St. Cloud State in the first period. "I feel like there was no doubt in my mind that we were going to be able to keep the momentum going."

The Gophers, who improved to 17-0-5 when they score a game's first goal, kept the momentum going in the second period. Junior right wing Seth Ambroz scored a rebound goal at 3:48 and Kloos added a goal on a nice passing play at 9:53 to give the Gophers a 3-0 lead.

"They're a high-powered team," Huskies senior defenseman and co-captain Kevin Gravel said of the Gophers. "They skate really well and they made it difficult on our 'D' all night.

"They got the puck deep (in the St. Cloud State zone) and finished their checks. They have skill and when they have a chance to make a play, they do. You have to give them credit."

Strong Gophers

A look at the shot chart from the first two periods also indicated a strong defensive game by the Gophers. St. Cloud State had one shot on goal in close in the first period and the majority of the Huskies' shot attempts in the first two periods were from near the boards.

"I think they delayed our forecheck a lot in the beginning and we made it pretty easy for them to play and get pucks out," Huskies senior center and co-captain Nic Dowd said. "They're obviously a good skating group (on defense).

"What makes them tough to handle is not only do they play good defense, but they're good on offense."

The Gophers added a power-play goal by junior center Kyle Rau at 8:16 of the third period to make it 4-0.

St. Cloud State, which went into the game with the third-best power play in the nation, did not have a power play in the game.

Minnesota sophomore goalie Adam Wilcox did not have a lot of tough saves, but stopped all 24 St. Cloud State shots for his fourth shutout of the season.

"The team was unbelievable tonight from our defense to our forwards — we didn't give them anything," Wilcox said. "We came in every period saying, 'They didn't get much that period.'

"Our team just played lights out all weekend."

The Gophers beat Robert Morris 7-3 in the opening round of the regional Saturday.

End of the run

The Huskies have four seniors who have finished their eligibility in Dowd, Gravel, center Cory Thorson and defenseman Brandon Burrell. Dowd and Gravel are both Los Angeles Kings draft picks who had an opportunity to sign pro deals after last season, but returned for St. Cloud State.

"In a time when a lot of players are going early to the pros, we've had guys stick around when they've had a chance to leave," Motzko said. "That's because they believe in this program and their teammates.

"We've been going in the right direction. I just wish we'd still be playing in two weeks."

Faragher removed

Huskies junior goalie Ryan Faragher at 14:40 of the second period with the team trailing 3-0. Faragher stopped 12 of 15 shots.

"Faragher was in the hospital two days ago and has been fighting some sickness," Motzko said of Faragher, who got the overtime win over Notre Dame Saturday. "He gutted it out last night and gave us everything he had this weekend."

Faragher was replaced by freshman Charlie Lindgren, who stopped 19 of 20 shots.

St. Cloud State players Nic Dowd and Nick Oliver (27) embrace after the Huskies lose 4-0 to the Minnesota Gophers Sunday, March 30 in their West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State players huddle at the net for the start of Sunday's of West Regional final against the Minnesota Gophers at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

Minnesota's Justin Kloos (25) finds an open net as St. Cloud State's Andrew Prochno (28) and goalie Ryan Faragher (29) scramble to react during the first period Sunday, March 30 during the NCAA West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Kloos scored the first goal for Minnesota by way of Nate Condon and Justin Hall at 11:09 of the period. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State's Andrew Prochno(28), Cory Thorson (8) and goalie Ryan Faragher (29) can do little but watch the puck slide in to the net giving Minnesota's Justin Kloos (25) a goal during the first period Sunday, March 30 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloud)

Minnesota players celebrate their first goal during the first period Sunday, March 30 of the NCAA West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

A pair of Minnesota fans get to their feet to applaud the Gophers during the first period Sunday, March 30 of their West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State head coach Bob Motzko shouts as the puck gets close to their net during the first period Sunday, March 30 in the NCAA West Regional Final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Minnesota's Justin Kloos scored their first goal at 11:09 of the period, putting Minnesota up 1-0. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State's Tim Daly (40) takes a swipe at Minnesota's Hudson Fasching (24) as he falls to the ice during the first period Sunday, March 30 of their NCAA West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State's Kalle Kossila (11) looks to pass the puck under pressure from Minnesota's Justin Kloos (25) during the first period Sunday, March 30 of their West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State's Ryan Papa (10) gets knocked to the ice by Minnesota's Tom Serratore (14) over control of the puck during the first period Sunday, March 30 of their NCAA West Regional final game at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State's goalie Ryan Faragher deflects the puck as Minnesota's Hudson Fasching (24) and Sam Warning (11) look on during the first period Sunday, March 30 of their NCAA West Regional Final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

A young St. Cloud State fan shows his support during the third period Sunday, March 30 in their West Regional final against Minnesota at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State's David Morley (13) and Nick Oliver (27) work the puck out of the corner under pressure from Minnesota's Brady Skjei (2) during the third period Sunday, March 30 of their West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State's Jared Rabey fires the puck past Minnesota's Justin Kloos (25) while teammate Jake Parenteau (6) looks on during the third period Sunday, March 30 of their West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

St. Cloud State's Tim Daly (40) Battles Minnesota's Sam Warning (11) during the third period Sunday, March 30 of their West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

Minnesota players celebrate their fourth goal during the third period Sunday, March 30 of their West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

Minnesota led 4-0 with 8:30 left on the clock and St. Cloud State never came back during the third period Sunday, March 30 of their West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)

Minnesota players celebrate after winning 4-0 against St. Cloud State Sunday, March 30 in their West Regional final at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (Photo: Kimm Anderson, kanderson@stcloudtimes.com)